A blog about things -- not necessarily beautiful -- that at least jolted me out of my tram-lined train of thought. They may be funny, poignant, disgusting or beautiful, but they will be personal. You, dear reader, may not give a damn about an image of a crisp packet at the edge of a river but I might think it so delightful that I cry with gratitude. And a few poems. A a book plug or two.

isthmus [is-muh s] noun, plural isthmuses, isthmi [is-mahy]
1. a narrow strip of land, bordered on both sides by water, connecting two larger bodies of land.
2. Anatomy, Zoology. a connecting, usually narrow, part, organ, or passage, especially when joining structures or cavities larger than itself.
3. Ichthyology. the narrow fleshy area between the sides of the lower jaw of a fish.

presenteeism [prez-uh n-tee-iz-uh m] noun
1. the practice of coming to work despite illness, injury, anxiety, etc., often resulting in reduced productivity.
2. the practice of working long hours at a job without the real need to do so.

Bernie stood at the
very edge of the water, where the waves barely brushed the tips of
her Oxfords before drawing back, staring at the white horses at the
edge of the bay.

Mel crossed the wrack
line and approached, her sensible flat shoes making little impression
in the damp sand. Reaching Bernie, she stood in silence for a moment,
hoping she didn't have to speak first. She was afraid the tears would
start and never stop. After another minute she realised her hope was
doomed to be dashed. “I'm sorry,” she said, finally.

Bernie looked at her
then, her gray-green eyes turning the emerald hue of the channel.
“You've nothing to be sorry for.”

Wednesday, 13 January 2016

bellwether [bel-weth-er] noun1. a wether or other male sheep that leads the flock, usually bearing a bell.2. a person or thing that assumes the leadership or forefront, as of a profession or industry:Paris is a bellwether of the fashion industry.3. a person or thing that shows the existence or direction of a trend; index.4. a person who leads a mob, mutiny, conspiracy, or the like; ringleader.

peripatetic [per-uh-puh-tet-ik] adjective1. walking or traveling about; itinerant.2. (initial capital letter) of or relating to Aristotle, who taught philosophy while walking in the Lyceum of ancient Athens.3. (initial capital letter) of or relating to the Aristotelian school of philosophy.noun4. a person who walks or travels about.5. (initial capital letter) a member of the Aristotelian school.

Tuesday, 12 January 2016

Lifts to Longbridge

Ray's driving his mini cooper, wipersgoing crazy but failing to stem the washof torrential rain from the windscreen.At twenty-something he's overweightand wears a woollen cap to disguise his baldnessbut in reality, it emphasises it.The Beatles on his 8-rack but how many kidswish they hadn't been called 'Michelle?'She Loves You but she doesn't, does she? At seventeenmy sister stares out of the passenger side window,lost in thought of the boy her father didn't likewhile I, twelve years old and wedged in the backam just grateful for the lift. He hangs around hermost days, his moth to her naked light and weknow he's going to get burned and thenthere will be no more lifts to Longbridge.

London Delight

They look on, these women,the poor in headscarves while the well-to-dodisplay Easter bonnets; bright colours against the dirtand decay of prison walls, their menfolk,fathers and husbands in country tweeds,offered the titillation of gawking as semi-clad women,safe in the guise of merciful benefactors.Newgate children, incarcerated with mothersand sisters because their father's can't copeor were hanged for the theft of a loafwhite the merchants and bankers pocket hundredsand fire those too wracked with hunger to work.She works alone, this gentle lady,driven to teach by the light of a candleand the thin grimy air from tiny windowshigh out of reach and yellow with smog and birdshit.Children learn to write their names,women to read the Gospelsand one day, if they survive, the hope of salvationin a five-pound note.

inveigle [in-vey-guh l, -vee-] verb (used with object), inveigled, inveigling.1. to entice, lure, or ensnare by flattery or artful talk or inducements (usually followed by into):to inveigle a person into playing bridge.2. to acquire, win, or obtain by beguiling talk or methods (usually followed by from or away):to inveigle a theater pass from a person.

Cameron's new ruseto inveigle extra votesfrom racist Britons

Went to Liane's to get rid of the mice in the scullery. Found them. Ejected them. Filled up the hole they got through with self hardening foam which I cannot get off my hands. Euch.

Saturday, 9 January 2016

offing [aw-fing, of-ing] noun1. the more distant part of the sea seen from the shore, beyond the anchoring ground.2. a position at a distance from shore.Idioms3. in the offing, at a distance but within sight. in the projected future; likely to happen:A wedding is in the offing.

THIS SITE has pirate copies of my books. In paperback. Even the ones that have never been in paperback. I suspect Print-On-Demand and have ordered a paperback 'Sons of Angels' to see the quality. Not as cheap as if I'd produced them on Lulu, but not too bad. I should complain but... I don't get payments from the genuine publisher, either, and I'm just happy people want to read my books. It might encourage them to read AUC or LfS.

Mostly bummed about today. Black dog and all that (though I did buy a book about depression). Not done very much at all. Tomorrow will be busy, so next week is buckle down and get GC written.

She danced under the orange moonas the smoke from burning stubblehazed the air and made the stars twinklelike the light in her lover's eyes. Mice ran;a seemingly endless river of them,escaping the flames. It didn't matterthat her bare feet crushed a few,their spines snapping like summer-dry twigs;a natural sacrifice for the bounty of the earth.

Her eyes shine with moonglowas her skirts swirl above grasping fingers,teasing them with the promise of good food and the hissing of fat as the bones crackto release the marrow within. Her hands cocked just so;middle finger to thumb, a path for chito circle through her and within her,drawn from the pale open eyes of her loveras the heat fades from his bodyand her footsteps tread the dance.